On being recognized as Global Woman Human Rights Defender by the Amnesty International (AI)Dispatch from Crame No. 86

5/17/17

8:40 p.m.

I'm a human rights defender under threat. And so Amnesty International (AI) has aptly acknowledged in its latest global report on a class of selfless workers and advocates called human rights defenders.

I'm a proud human rights defender. For actively opposing the brutal war on drugs and for standing up to the abuses of the Duterte regime, I have been subjected to an unprecedented smear campaign and demonization, including misogynistic attacks launched by Duterte himself and his misguided deputies. I'm now in jail because I refuse to be cowed in fear or in silence.

My consolation is there are many other human rights defenders spanning across continents who are also being threatened or attacked for simply speaking up and fighting for what is right.

What does it make out of a world with an increasing number of besieged human rights defenders, defenders who need help themselves against abusive governments and other tormentors?